While designed primarily to deliver audio to hearing-impaired audience members in this Boston-based, 1,800-seat, in-the-round-style theater, the new 2-channel Sennheiser (www.sennheiserusa.com) IR system will also deliver supplementary audio from other sources. John Stone, the theater's sound department supervisor and resident sound designer, said that the IR system was purchased with the idea of improving the theater's public access. Working with Newton, Mass.-based A/V equipment supplier Talamas Company, which also supplied and installed the theater's RF system. The IR system comprises six Sennheiser SZI 1029 emitter panels positioned on catwalks that face each of six distinct seating sections for in-the-round theater, an SI 1015/NT 2-channel modulator that drives the emitter panels, and 72 receivers. The decision to more than double the number of receivers, which included 68 HDI 302 2-channel receivers and four RI 250-J single-channel receivers with audio output sockets, was made because it is represents about 4% of the theater's seating capacity: the percentage required to comply with the hearing-impaired program.

Rounding out the new IR system are a GA 1031-CC rack adapter, eight BA 151 spare rechargeable batteries, eight L 151-10 battery chargers and two NT 2013-120 power supply units for the chargers.